# How to Export Your Chart of Accounts from QuickBooks Online

You need your chart of accounts out of QuickBooks Online — to review the account structure, hand it to another system, map it for a consolidation, or keep a reference copy. QuickBooks lets you export the list to Excel, but it's a one-time file: add or rename an account tomorrow and the export is out of date, so you re-run it every time.

## Why this happens in QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online's chart of accounts export is a static download from the Accounting settings — a snapshot of the list as it stands. There's no live view you can keep open in a spreadsheet, and no way to have it update as accounts are added, renamed, made inactive, or renumbered.

With Retriever, your chart of accounts becomes a live table in Google Sheets — the full list, refreshed on a schedule instead of re-exported by hand.

## How to solve it

### 1. Connect QuickBooks to Google Sheets

Authorize your QuickBooks Online company in Retriever — read-only, and on any plan.

### 2. Pull the chart of accounts

Bring your full COA into a sheet: account name, number, type, detail type, and status — every column, as structured data you can sort and filter.

### 3. Map, review, or reformat

Add your own columns to map accounts to another system, group them for a consolidation, or flag ones to clean up — without touching the export each time.

### 4. Refresh as the COA changes

A scheduled refresh keeps the list current, so new and renamed accounts show up automatically and your reference copy is never stale.

## FAQ

### How do I export the chart of accounts from QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online can export the list to Excel from the Chart of Accounts screen, but it produces a static file. Retriever pulls the same list into Google Sheets as live data that refreshes on a schedule.

### Can I keep an always-current copy of my chart of accounts?

Yes — instead of re-exporting, connect Retriever and the chart of accounts refreshes in place, so added, renamed, or deactivated accounts update automatically.

### Does the export include account numbers and types?

Yes — the pulled list includes account name, number, type, detail type, and status, each in its own column so you can sort, filter, and map them.